Name two mechanized innovations associated with the Second Agricultural Revolution.

• A. Steam-powered tractor and chemical fertilizer
• B. The steel plow and seed drill
• C. The mechanical reaper and the threshing machine
• D. The windrower and irrigation pump

Answer: (C)

Mechanization of farming during the Second Agricultural Revolution aimed to boost output and efficiency. The two standout innovations are the mechanical reaper and the threshing machine. The mechanical reaper cut standing grain quickly, greatly reducing labor and letting larger fields be harvested in the same season. The threshing machine separated grain from stalks and husks, speeding up processing that used to take many hours of hard manual work. Together, these tools enabled farms to operate on bigger scales, increased grain yields, and supported urban industrial growth by providing a surplus food supply. Other options aren’t as representative: some belong to earlier agricultural innovations, and others mix a machine with an input or reflect later technologies.